GENEVA
UN human rights experts on Friday warned of a rapidly escalating displacement crisis in Lebanon as intense Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings force civilians to flee their homes.
"Within days, tens of thousands of civilians have once again been forced to flee their homes, many with nothing but the clothes they were wearing," the experts said in a statement.
They said reports indicate more than 700,000 people have been displaced across Lebanon since attacks began in early March, including around 200,000 children.
Thousands of families have sought refuge in public buildings, schools and overcrowded shelters, while others have spent nights in cars or along roadsides after fleeing bombardment and evacuation orders, they stressed.
"Displacement on this scale, unfolding in a matter of hours, is a stark reminder that civilians continue to bear the brunt of hostilities," the experts said.
More than 100 villages in southern Lebanon have been affected by the violence, according to the statement.
The experts warned that shelters are filling quickly while essential services are struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people.
"Collective shelters are filling rapidly, essential services are under pressure, and thousands of people remain on the move without adequate protection or assistance," they said.
They also stressed that civilians must be protected under international humanitarian law.
"Civilians must never be treated as targets or collateral damage," the experts said, warning that forced displacement may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity under international law.